Preparation and getting there...

I must admit that I am normally a good traveller, sort stuff out prior to departure and then sit back and relax whilst on the trip. I have to be honest, I am petrified for this trip, I have heard so many stories about flights being cancelled at the last minute and travellers being stuck. We are one of the few people that haven't had COVID "I say touching every piece of wood around me", so are going into isolation 7 days prior to travelling in the hope that we don't get it and have to quarantine. We are planning to stop over in Japan on the way home, Japan isn't open to individual tourists yet! Will it be by the time we leave? It is all in the lap of the travel gods... Going away for 3 months, what do you do with all your subscriptions - cancel, keep. What to do with the cars, disconnect battery or not? Way too many decisions.

It's Monday and we leave on Thursday at 8am. With the chaos at airports, we are advised to get there at least 3 hours prior to flight time. We have protesters in the Tunnel and bridge, will they be there at 5am - I hope not. So a 5am pickup is booked. John has a sore throat and swollen glands, fingers crossed, out comes the covid test. John does his test under my supervision, the swap that you stick up your nose is like an ear bud with a soft fluffy end and a lolly pop stick at the other end. I describe to John that he needs to swirl it around his nose 5 times and then the other nostril. I don't watch him but there is a lot of oohs and aahs and sniffs and snorts. He then hands the swab back to me, handing me the lolly pop stick end. I said did you stick that end up your nose, along came the nod of the head. Sorry sweet - wrong end, you have to do it again with the soft fluffy bit. Negative after a tense 15 mins. Phew!

We have heard horror stories about cancelled flights and this morning got an email form JAL warning us that it can take up to 5 hours through immigration in Japan. We are supposed to be stopping in Japan on the way home, but currently Japan isn't open to individual tourists. I mean this is stressful!

I also got into a golf knockout final - which has taken my Wednesday packing day away, so my own fault. Tuesday evening we got a leak on our balcony, luckily Johns mate Macca came over to help and I now need to replace the water reticulation tomorrow as well as win a knockout final and pack and prepare the house.

BUT...... we have a fabulous holiday planned, we can't wait to see Patty and Johns brother Rich and his boys Sam and Jack. I am starting to get excited.

Final won, but such a tight match went to the 19th hole - where is a quick match when you need one! Off to the Chemist to get my scripts, nothing like cutting it fine. John has sourced a new water reticulation gadget and now for the install.

After a spurt of water in the face, pressure a bit high I guess - water retick working and programmed. All heating off, smart plugs schedules off. We are ready!!!

Its a 5am start, 3 different alarms set, all packed and a good nights rest, car arrived on time and we are off. We are not free and clear yet as there have been hideous reports of extremely long and chaotic delays at the airports. Its school holidays, demonstrators supposed to protest all week on the lack of action on climate change - what could possibly go wrong.

N O T H I N G

The roads were so quiet, the airport terminal was very empty, what a pleasant surprise. Luggage checked all the way through London, next concern is will it arrive.

Now we have a 9h 40 min flight to Tokyo, where we will have an 8 hour layover. I am sure I will be bored and have plenty of time to write some more shit.... The itinerary is in a Calendar on the Euro 2022 home page, I have my tee times for the British Seniors now we just need to keep our fingers crossed that the clubs make it over.

On board

Well JAL know how to do business class, PJ's (like they used to do), cardigan, mattresses when you feel like sleeping. This may be a well rested journey. The menu caters for Western and Japanese, so we should be happy chappy's, although John says there are very limited movies to watch. Lots of disney stuff.

First movie done! The Lost City, I thought I was in for 90 minutes of watching a very hunky looking Brad Pitt. Unfortunately he got shot in the first 5 mins. Rate the movie **/**********. Positives are 5 mins of beautiful scenery, get to see Harry Potter all grown up, Sandra Bullock is always good for a Rom Com - that is about it I am afraid.

Second Movie - The Duke, half way through, eyes are closing. Lets try out the bed and PJ's... PJ's are a blanket with buttons, we cannot work out what the buttons are for. John thinks it is a mattress cover - because they give you mattresses to lay on your seat. I wasn't going to embarrass myself by trying to put this 6' long mattress into some PJs. I just laid it on top of myself and then proceeded to feel a lot more lively and spent the next 20 mins trying to sleep. Still got half of the Duke to watch, but have discovered inflight WiFi, hence more nonsense from drivel from me.

First leg over

After departing an hour late, you are not bothered when you have an 8 hour layover. Sadly the Business Class Lounge is closed, so we have had to make do with the First Class Lounge. I have to say the flight wasn't bad and we cannot fault the staff and airline for creature comforts and service.

The Lounge is spacious and has a full dining experience which we will use very soon - other than it is time to do the Bridge Club monthly dashboard report updates, catch up on emails and write nonsense here.

Not long to go Patty - see you tomorrow.

Dinner was great and such an efficient process. You scan the barcode on the table you sit at and then choose your language and get presented your menu options. Beef curry for John, with Corn Soup to start and Miso and sushi for me.

The toilet, on the other hand well that was something else... Everything is so pristine and meticulously planned. For example the toilet cubicles have a place for you to seat your baby whilst you do your business. See image below.

The toilet options, well there are many. The one I did try which I expected wouldn't involve any water being splashed somewhere and that was the flushing sound. I now know why this is there! It is so loud so that it disguises any farts or other noises that may cause you any embarrassment. Well I couldn't stop the thing and had to escape with downturned head. Not before snapping a few photos. Yes - John did point out the STOP button - that was after I had tried to turn down the volume and pressed those other buttons in panic to stop the loud very artificial sound that was coming from my cubicle.

2nd Leg to Heathrow

Also flying with JAL, the bed was comfortable and the service very good. Both John and I managed to sleep most of the way probably giving us 8 hours sleep - which is great for a plane. Landed at Heathrow , passport control a breeze. Now for the luggage....

I didn't take a photo as I didn't want the Airport Police arresting me, but Heathrow was a state! In between the baggage carousels where hundreds of suitcases just sitting there. Now we know where everyones missing bags are! I went to the Ladies and the whole bathroom facility was in 1cm water (hopefully just water), it didn't smell bad. But I had to splish splash my way to a cubicle and there was no time to mind another bathroom. I then had to go into 3 cubicles to find a useable toilet. Not the greatest first impression of a first world country and quite a shock coming from Japan.

Our bags arrived in no time and off we went.

3rd Leg - London to Newcastle

We had gotten through so quickly our driver wasn't there yet. John got a coffee for the trip and Sakim arrived and we were off in no time. It was a Mercedes transit Van so there was plenty of room. Sakim had suggested stopping every 100 miles and John was not happy with that, but guess who needed a wee wee in the first 100 miles - you guessed it MOI! We stopped at the services and they were quite impressive - Heathrow need to employ the same management. M&S Food outlets, Costa Coffee - who don't do a Larget Flat White, which is completely confusing John. It seems all coffee shops that we have been to - will do a small or regular Flat White but not a Large. To go large you have to have a Latte or a Cappuccino. We will get to the bottom of this.

The journey to Newcastle was quite painless really and we are glad that we did it this way.

We are here, we did it. 18,000 km, 41 hours later we are reunited with a very happy bouncy Pat/Ma.

The end...